Central Govt package for tribal female literacy

It plans to come out with a package to improve tribal female literacy which is 34.7%, reports Satyen Mohapatra.

The Central Government plans to come out with a special package to improve tribal female literacy in the country which is around 34.7 per cent much below the national average of 54 per cent.

A demand driven scheme it would will cover 54 districts in the country. These have been selected on the basis of the criteria of tribal population being more than 25 per cent or more in the district and tribal female literacy rate being 35 per cent or below. Besides these districts, any tribal block of any other tribal district fulfills this criteria would also be considered.

Talking to the Hindustan Times Tribal Affairs Secretary Meena Gupta said that for the year 2007-08 the Tribal Affairs Ministry has proposed a funding of Rs.20 crores for the scheme.

The plan envisages to set up District Education Support Agencies in tribal areas of low literacy with help of NGOs to ensure that tribal girls are going to school. The DESA volunteers would be going and meeting the families of tribals to motivate then and check drop out of tribal girls from school, she added.

As an incentive to the parents of tribal girls Rs 100 per month for a child in the primary classes and Rs 200 per month for a child in the middle classes is to be given.

To recognize tribal girls who get educated and pass class 8 or above awards are being planned to given to them to “empower” them in the form of bicycles and mobiles, she said.

A fixed deposit of Rs 10,000 will be opened for a girl child after she completes class four till the time she finishes class twelve.The matured amount will be given to the girl when she leaves school to provide financial security,she said.

The government plans run hostel facilities for girls near schools in rented premises as large number of girls do not attend school because there is no place to stay near the school, she added.